Crazy and Cool Fish Teeth Facts

When you think of a fish, you probably don’t visualize a gap-toothed grin. Odds are you picture a pursed pair of lips swimming in an aquarium. So do fish have teeth under their puckered pouts? If you’re a Wisconsin angler, chances are you already know the answer.

Fish with Human Teeth

Sheepshead FishSheepshead teeth look like just like ours—at least at first glance. They have 2 rows of molars in their lower jaws and 3 rows in their upper jaws. A sheepshead also has incisors at the front of the jaw and grinding teeth in the back of their jaw to expertly pulverize prey. And sheepshead fish steal more than our smiles—they are notorious for stealing bait.

Pacu FishA relative of the piranha, pacu teeth are much more square than their biting brothers. Their human-like chompers are due to their diet—pacu fish are omnivores and prefer to eat vegetables.